MANILA -- Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman approved on Friday, 29 July 2022, the release of the Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) amounting to P8,053,474,140 to the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the provision and distribution of P5,000 in subsidy to 1,563,781 eligible rice farmers on the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2022.

The release of the NCA is in line with the implementation of the Rice Farmers' Financial Assistance (RFFA) program, in order to provide support to rice farmers affected by the Rice Tariffication Law.

"Our farmers deserve our help and care. The immediate release of cash assistance could provide relief to our rice farmers given the recent natural calamities they experienced," Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

"This unconditional cash assistance could also provide aid to the rice farmers in securing farm inputs such as fertilizer and oil farm machinery," Secretary Pangandaman added.

The NCA likewise covers the service fee, including the cost of card generation, for the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund-RFFA under the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

On 24 March 2022, DBM released a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P8,948,302,090 to the DA under Unprogrammed Appropriations, General Appropriations Act FY 2022, and Republic Act 11639.

On 6 May 2022, an initial NCA amounting to P894,827,950 was released by the DBM to DA based on the computed budgetary requirements of 173,753 qualified rice farmer-beneficiaries. (DBM)